


But maybe I’ll be early?

by redshineJasper (MrsPummeluff)



Series: Stucky OneShots [14]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Date Night, First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Matchmaker Natasha Romanov, Protective Natasha Romanov, Relationship Problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 12:15:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15885849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsPummeluff/pseuds/redshineJasper
Summary: It’s date night. And Brock doesn’t show. But Bucky’s best friend Natasha sends someone in she had picked as Bucky’s perfect match not long after she started working for Stark Industries.





	But maybe I’ll be early?

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. I know I haven't posted in over a month, but it's actually been quite the busy month for me. I started my apprenticeship I got literally five days before starting and so a few things just got... forgotten. BUT I'll keep writing, I promise.

Bucky checked the text once more and glanced at the clock in the upper right corner.

> **From Bucky** > 6pm, Diner in Stark Tower. Don’t be late.

That was what he had written Brock, his boyfriend of almost two years. It was the fourth time in a row the other man had stood Bucky up on their bi-monthly Date Night (a tradition since they got together) and they already barely saw each other.

The first time it had happened, Brock had called after Bucky had waited for about half an hour in front of the restaurant. Brock had been celebrating his coworker and friend Rollins becoming a father and he had totally forgotten to tell Bucky.

The second time, Bucky had received a short message, after his third drink at the bar they planned to meet up at, that Brock had been called in for work on short notice.

The third time Bucky hadn’t even bothered to get dressed and had stayed in sweats the whole night, binge watching Supernatural and hadn’t even heard from Brock until three days later, to come over for a booty call. And that’s what Bucky had started to feel like these past three months.

Just earlier Brock had assured Bucky they’d go wherever Bucky wanted want to go.

“We go out today. No worries. No interruptions, Baby. You and me,” Brock had whispered,  and Bucky really wanted to believe him. After all, this was Brock’s last chance.

He watches the number in his phone change from 6:56 to 6:57. Still no new messages. The waitress came by his table and frowned. He could feel the other patrons in the diner giving him pitying looks and hear their whispers.

“Can I get you anything else, sweetheart?” The waitress, Angie, stands next to his table, laying a hand on his shoulder. He knows her, she’s been working here with her wife for years. He had already been a regular here before he had met Brock, but they had never had dinner here.

“A coffee maybe, Angie?” he asked, smiling up at her softly. She nods and squeezes his shoulder.

“He won’t show, you know that, right? If you want me to get you some of Peg’s good pie, just say the word.” She says winking and turns around when he shakes his head.

When she is gone, he lays his head onto the table and takes a deep breath before sitting up straight again. He sees Angie standing on a table next to one of the huge windows. There weren’t many patrons in today and this couple had come in about ten minutes earlier, the only ones who came in after Bucky. He was tall, dark skin and a nice face, kind smile. She had long brown hair and had a military posture and Bucky was sure that she could be really scary. But her laugh sounded nice and this was a relationship how he always had imagined it with Brock. Dinner. Holding hands.

The doors swung open while Bucky was still deep in thoughts and all heads turned towards the door. The man who had just entered was tall, short blond hair. Beard. Broad shoulders, thin waist, a seemingly natural smile on his lips. He glanced over to where Bucky sat and Bucky looked down at his phone that laid, still undisturbed next to his hand. Still nothing. He should get that cake from Angie and Peggy and leave. He still had one season Supernatural to catch up on.

Heavy footsteps came closer and when he looked up the blonde guy stood next to him and Bucky raised an eyebrow.

“Uhm… Hey. Are you Bucky?” the man asks, smiling brightly but rubbing his neck uncomfortably. “I’m Steve. Sorry for being late. Tony kept me longer than expected and I forgot to text Natasha and didn’t have your number. May I sit?”

Bucky sat there, shocked into silence while he tried to figure out why Steve, aka Greek Statue, knew his name, but also seemed like he wanted to talk to him.

His phone chimed.

                **From Nat** < Play along.

A second later.

             **From Nat** < Wanted to introduce you for a while.

The doors swung open again and the woman in question entered the diner to sit down next to black guy and his date, who hugged Natasha immediately. The black guy looked over to their table and winked at Bucky.

                **From Nat** < Good luck. And dump Dumlow before I break his bones.

Bucky gulped and smiled up at Steve.

“Uhm. Sure. Sit. Yeah, I’m Bucky… Barnes. James Buchanan but my sister nicknamed me Bucky. It stuck. Only Natasha calls me James really. And mum when she’s angry. Sorry. I’m rambling.” Bucky felt the blush creep up his cheeks and groaned, hiding behind his hand.

Steve chuckled.

“Steve Rogers. Natasha and I started working together about a year ago. Again, I’m really sorry for being late.”

Bucky smiled shyly up at Steve.

“It’s fine,” he said and if that didn’t feel like High School all over again. He glanced over to Natasha who was not only watching him making a fool out of himself but also smiled at him proudly and he gave her a small nod. A small thanks. “But how did you know I was still here?”

“Sam said there was someone desperately waiting for his date. Natasha literally pulled me away from Tony and I think she called his wife to get him out of his workshop as well.” Steve pulled out his phone from his pocket, holding it out towards Bucky, a chat open.

Bucky took it, scanning over the messages.

               **From Sam W.** < [picture of Bucky, sitting miserably on his table, face on the top] Angie says his name is Bucky Barnes. Nat, your boy?”

               **From Nat R**.  < YES! I KNEW THAT FUCKER WOULD STAND HIM UP AGAIN! Running interference. Steve get downstairs now or I’m coming up.

                **From Steve** > What? Why?

                **From Nat R.** < U r gonna have dinner with that guy on my tab tonight. You’ll like him. Last set up. I promise ;)

                **From Steve** > Okay. On my way down. Briefing?

               **From Nat R.** < The guy I wanted to introduce you to for months. Bike Garage, socked a fucker in the jaw for insulting Darcy, his secretary.

                **From Nat R.** < and introduced me to Clint.

                **From Sam W.** < Steve is here and just made his way over. Maria and I are waiting for you Romanoff

            **From Nat R.** < Texting James now and coming down.

Bucky shook his head and smiled.

“She talking about me a lot?” Bucky asks and Steve nods.

“All the time. She seems really proud of you. Said you build up the garage you work at all on your own?”

Bucky grins. “Not ALL on my own. I had a few friends helping. We first worked together in a big garage with like 20 other guys. But our boss, Pierce, he was an asshole. Rich bastard, low pay for us. So we left and built something up for ourselves.”

“She never mentioned the name of your shop.”

“No?” Bucky asks in disbelief and Steve shakes his head.

“No. Never. Just that you specialize on Bikes.”

Bucky hums happily and nods.

“Yeah. Always loved bikes. Dad had an old Harley from World War Two in our backyard. We worked on it all the time. She was my first own bike, got her as soon as I got my license. Dad couldn’t drive anymore himself after his head injury. Went to college, got a degree in engineering, had a change of heart, started working in Hydra under Pierce as a mechanic, left with my friends and founded Howling Commandos.”

“Wait. You’re the owner of Howling Commandos?” Steve asked laughing and Bucky nodded with a smile. “Your guy, Dugan, lives next to me. He fixed my Harley when she broke down once. Told me to see it as a thank you for when I helped him carry up his furniture.”

Bucky grinned. “What a small world. I live like three blocks away,” he says shrugging. “What else has Romanoff told you about me?”

Steve purses his lips, about to answer, but Angie interrupts, “Stevie. Nice to see you made it. I didn’t want to believe a guy like you would stand James up.”

“And apparently she also just became one of the people to call me James. Please never do that to me, Steve,” Bucky says pleading and Angie chuckles. Then she pulls out her small notepad.

“So. What can I get my two beautiful boys?”

Bucky bites his lip. “Cheeseburger and fries?”

“So the usual. You Stevie?”

It’s Steve’s turn to groan and Bucky smiles. “The same for me.”

“So the usual for both of you, Peggy is already on it,” Angie chirps and doesn’t even bother to jot it down on her notepad.

“You don’t expect much from us, do you?” Bucky asks smiling and Angie shakes her head.

“No. You both always get the same thing every time you come in here. Be back in a bit.” She says swiftly and turns away, hurrying to the kitchen, calling out “English! Twice the Rogers-Barnes usual.”

“Sometimes I don’t believe that they are almost 70,” Bucky leans towards Steve, whispering and Steve nods.

“Me neither. Sadly I know it’s true. Peggy’s a friend of my father.”

“Really?” Bucky asks, grinning. “Angie was my mother’s best friend, her sister basically and she sometimes looked after me when I was young.”

Steve nods his head and bites his lip. “So Brooklyn boy, right? I know Angie has been living in Brooklyn forever.”

Bucky nods. “Brooklyn born and raised. Never anywhere else. Thought about joining Army but then my dad had his accident and I stayed home. My family needed my support. We were off well financially, but he needed a lot of help with some things afterwards so I stayed where I could help. They managed to pay my college fees and I became a mechanic.”

“Same here. Wanted to follow my father and fight with him. I already was in college and dad was fighting in the Army when I got the call from the hospital that my mum collapsed during work. She died a few minutes before I arrived.” Steve shrugged and his mouth pulled down. “A week later I got the letter that my father got shot in combat the same day mom died.”

Bucky frowned. “That’s a heavy topic for a first date. But if you don’t mind me saying, and as stupid as this may sound, it sounds a lot like fate to me.”

Steve nods. “Yeah. I like to think so too.”

Angie and Peggy come over to their table, Angie carrying their food. Peggy comes over to Steve and presses her lips against his head. Mumbles something into his hair that makes him blush. Then she goes over to Bucky, kisses him as well and wishes him a good evening and disappears back in the kitchen. Angie meanwhile has placed their food in front of them and smiles at them, winks and then leaves them be.

“I don’t trust her,” Bucky says frowning and looking after Angie, who stops at Natasha’s table to chat with the three friends.

“Not even for a moment,” Steve agrees, “but we should eat before they can do something. I know it’s late but I there is an arcade a few floors up. Exclusive for Stark Employees, but if you want… I mean… if you want we can go there after dinner for a bit? Tony said we can bring people…” nervously, Steve bites his lips and focuses his glance on his burger and starts pushing a fry around on his plate.

Bucky smiles a bit and taps Steve’s hand.

“I’d like that,” he says quietly. “Been a while since I went to any kind of arcade.”

“He got Space Invaders, Galaga, Pac-Man and all the other classics.”

Bucky smiles at him. “Sounds like a plan.” Bucky plugs a fry from Steve’s plate and smiles sweetly.  Steve shakes his head in amusement.

             **Nat** < Disgusting. Continue.

Bucky snorts and pushes his phone towards Steve, who looks over to the table their three friends occupy. They all watched them carefully and when Sam winked at them and Maria made kissy-faces in their direction. Natasha grinned at Steve, teeth bared and Bucky groans. Steve’s phone chimes and he pushes it over.

             **Nat** < Consider this your shovel talk. Have fun.

They get up and Natasha slips Angie a few notes, kisses her cheek and the three of them leave. Bucky turns back to Steve.

“So. Tell me about yourself. What do you do in your free time? What do you do for Stark? And when can I get a closer look at your Harley? It seems unfair that you sit here with me and Dugan was the one who’s seen her first.” Bucky smiles flirty and leans back in his chair. He takes a big bite from his burger, the fat dripping down his chin.

“Gross,” Steve says chuckling and puts a fry into his mouth. “I draw, sometimes. I like painting but I don’t always have the time. You know the big painting down in the lobby?”

“The oak tree? You did that?”

Steve nods smiling and takes a bite from his burger. He swallows.

“I made it for Pepper’s birthday two years ago. I help Tony with his designs and all. He sometimes lets me use his workshop though. We are friends, have been since I was young. Tony’s father was my father’s best friend. Tony painted my Harley red and blue last April as an April fools.”

Bucky’s eyes bulge out of his head.

“I hope you re-painted her…” he says slowly, trailing out towards the rest of the sentence.

“Yes. The very next day,.” Steve says nodding. Bucky sighs relieved.

“And for seeing her… how about I give you a ride home? I got her in the underground garage,” Steve says blushing lightly and Bucky bites his lip and nods.

“I’d like that.”

They keep up a light chatter during their meal and then, when Steve waves over Angie, she sends them on their way, promising the bill’s been taken care of by Natasha. They head towards the elevator and a few floors up into the arcade. Steve looks around.

“Every single game has two displays and two controller. Each of us plays their own game and in the end the one with the most points wins. You could say, Tony is a bit competitive.”

Bucky smiles, then looks over to one of the machines.

“I’ll Tetris you into your early grave.” He grins mischievously.

Steve’s grin grows. “Oh you’re on.”

~°-°~

They leave two and a half hours later after they both grow tired.

“Early day,” Bucky says through a yawn and Steve nods, his yawn following immediately.

“I’ll drop you off home. Come on.” They head back into the elevator and Steve presses the button for the underground garage. When they spill out, Bucky’s eyes immediately fall onto the black Harley, just a few feet from them. He bites his lip, smiling.

“She… God I think I am in love with her,” Bucky says and sees Steve smile from his peripheral vision.

“She is gorgeous, isn’t she?” he asks softly and Bucky can see the love for his bike reflected in Steve’s eyes.

“There is only one way she would look better…” he says slowly, looking up at Steve. “And that would be with you on top of her.”

Steve bites his lip and his glance lingers on Bucky’s lip before wandering down his body and he knows when he is being checked out. He turns, saunters over to the machine and feels Steve’s glance linger on his ass.

He lets his finger trail over the handle and bows down and looks at her. She is well loved and well kept. He turns to Steve, whose glance shoots up and a blush spreads around his nose.

“Can I?” Bucky asks, motioning towards the front seat. Steve nods speechless and Bucky goes to straddle the bike. He hears Steve’s sharp intake of breath. When he looks over at Steve, his pupils are blown wide and he is biting his lips, fingers twitching by his side.

He grins at Steve. “Like what you see?”

“I’d let you drive her,” Steve blurts out and then averts his glance and stuffs his hands into the pockets of his pants.

Bucky raises an impressed eyebrow. “You would? I feel honored.”

“I would. Dum-Dum said you’re the best driver he’s ever seen. And you seem to love them.”

Bucky looks from Steve to his bike and back.

“I do.” He says quietly and Steve takes a deep breath and takes two helmets from a table next to the elevator. Above, a leather jacket hangs on a hook and he takes it down.

“Hope you won’t be too cold on the drive. I have a spare helmet but no jacket,” he says apologetically.

Bucky shakes his head.

“I’ll be fine. I wore this jacket on a test drive earlier.” He gets down from the bike again and takes one of the helmets from Steve.

Steve puts on his jacket and gloves and sits up on his bike. Bucky gets up behind him and presses his chest close to Steve’s back and wraps his arms around Steve’s middle.

“I’m good,” he says, chin against Steve’s shoulder and tightens his grip a bit, to give Steve a non-verbal clue.

The drive doesn’t take long, Steve finding all the shortcuts towards Brooklyn. He feels Bucky’s heat against his back, his warm breath against his neck. The feeling, someone he connected so fast and easily with, like fire in his veins.

When Steve stops his bike in front of a brownstone, he smiles down at Bucky. He feels drunk from their night and the feel of Bucky pressed so tight against him. Steve takes hold of Bucky’s wrist, but unsure what to say.

Bucky, using his other hand to wrangle his phone out of his pocket to get Steve’s number, stops and looks up into blue eyes. He waits for him to say something.

“So… I had fun.” Steve finally blurts and grins embarrassed. It felt like such a cliché thing to say. Bucky licked his lips and Steve glanced followed his tongue. He doesn’t really register Bucky’s nod.

His “yeah, me too”, made Steve’s eyes snap back up. “We should do it again.” Bucky adds and Steve nods.

“Yeah. Definitely. We should… you should kiss me.” Steve blurts out and blushes. He wants to duck his head but Bucky crowds him and presses his lips against Steve’s so fast that Steve never gets the chance. And Bucky’s lips are chapped and cool from the drive but so, so kissable. Bucky wraps his arms around Steve’s neck and Steve turns further into Bucky’s embrace, wrapping his arms around Bucky’s waist.

The light next to the front door turns off when it didn’t register any more movement in its range. Bucky draws back and sees Steve smiling down at him in the faint light of the streetlamps. A faint blush spreads over his cheeks and he tightens his grip on his phone.

“I’m sorry.” He says. “I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

Steve raises an eyebrow. “Why not?”

Their voices are low in the dark street and Bucky bites his lip.

“I was supposed to meet my boyfriend in that diner. He didn’t show up for the fourth time in a row. I wanted to dump him anyways but I haven’t yet and I am not sure how much of tonight already counts as cheating and I don’t want to put you in that position.” Bucky lowers his head, staring at his shoes and sees Steve’s hand wrap around his hand gently and taking the phone out of his grip.

“That his chat?” Steve holds up the already open chat with the message Bucky had begun writing while Steve went to the toilet earlier. That’s what Bucky gets for not putting a passcode to lock his phone. Nevertheless he nods.

Steve finishes the obvious sentence and holds it out to Bucky. The brunet looks up and Steve smiles nervously.

“I mean. It’s your boyfriend. And your decision. I am just trying to be helpful… I mean…” he laughs uncomfortable and scratches his neck.

Bucky smiles and looks down. Presses send.

                **From Bucky** > It’s is the fourth time in a row. I want a relationship, not be a booty call. I’m gonna block your number. I’m sorry Brock, but it’s over.

“Ex-boyfriend. And I think I needed the help. Thank you,” he says earnestly and Steve smiles. Then he leans down again, pecking Bucky’s lips.

“I can pick you up tomorrow morning if you want? I know a place with the best breakfast pancakes ever,” he says. “A real date. I’d really like to see you again.”

“Yes. Please do. I’d really like to see you again, too.”

Steve nods. Smiles shyly at Bucky. Then presses his lips against his for a last time.

“My phone died earlier. I’ll give you my number in the morning? I’ll come by at ten?”

Bucky smiles and nods.

“Yeah. See you.”

“See you. Later.” Steve still holds Bucky’s hand in his. “I don’t want to let go… I want to know everything there is to know about you. It’s absurd. We just met earlier” He mumbles and Bucky blushes again. “I mean it.”

Steve continues embarrassed, “I want to know what you look like in the morning when the early morning sun is shining through the window. I want to know what your voice sounds like after a good night’s sleep. I want to know how you take your coffee in the morning, what you have for breakfast. What you look like with wet hair when you come out of the shower. What your laugh sounds like when you’re tired. What it feels like when you fall asleep on my shoulder during a movie. I am so getting ahead of myself, because we just met and you can interrupt me any time now because this is mildly embarrassing but you somehow don’t seem to mind and I’m gonna shut up now.”

Bucky tries to keep the stupid smile off his face while Steve is still rambling but it feels like he can’t and Steve’s head comes to lie on his shoulder and Bucky sees the red tips of Steve’s ears illuminated by the street lights and bites his lip.

“I don’t do this. Never did before. Not even with Brock. But you could stay. To sleep I mean. You could find out all this tomorrow? I mean… God this is weird. I swear I usually don’t do this and I don’t want to sleep with you. I mean, I do, but not tonight I mean. I…”

Steve chuckles, shakes his head. “No. I should go. See you at ten?”

Bucky nods and Steve reels him in again, pressing their lips together in a promising kiss. Bucky doesn’t feel him pulling away until their lips are their last touching body parts. Slowly, they part.

Bucky is dizzy from the kiss and this was nothing like Brock and nothing like anything before then. This wasn’t like fireworks and stars and roller-coaster. This was like a warm, fuzzy blanket on a cold day, a warm tea and a settling, quiet peace inside. Like strong arms, warmth, protection. Like a shield, worth carrying.

When Steve’s bike turns around the corner, the haze lifts and he notices he hasn’t seen Steve go. But the feeling of his lips is still lingering on his own. The warmth of his touch is still there, where he had Bucky’s hand in his own. He still hears the quiet laugh in his ears. He turns to the front door of the building and reaches for the handle.

On his way up, he sends a text out to Natasha and when he get her reply, at half past eleven, he shoots out another text.

                **From Bucky** > Don’t you dare to be late, punk.

               **From Steve** < I couldn’t. But maybe, I’ll be early.

End <3

**Author's Note:**

> Great great thanks to my amazing beta, who does an amazing Job, okay. [HERE](http://rachelladytietjens.tumblr.com/) is her tumblr  
> And here you can find me on [tumblr](http://fangirl-faye.tumblr.com) and talk to me :D


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